Anyone uses the Classic Yellow recipe by By Sylvia Weinstock

This is a follow-up to another thread I just read on Scratch cakes. I saw a link to the original classic yellow cake recipe by Sylvia Weinstock. Apparently it won 1st place on CC for best yellow cake recipe.

http://cakecentral.com/recipe/classic-yellow-cake

Anyone using this or tried it and had great success? I currently use the tasty and moist vanilla butter pound cake recipe here under "most saved recipes" and it is great. I get repeat orders for it but I have to admit, I love the taste and moistness of sour cream cakes. Haven't found a great sour cream chocolate cake as yet. The Amazing WASC tastes too much like box mix and strange flavours probably from the box mix additives and preservatives.

I may be the only one that says this but I did not like Sylvia's Yellow cake recipe. I like a moist dense cake and I found this to be a bit on the dry side. I didn't over bake. I made 3 tiers and they all came out the same.

I do take a suggestion from SW's new recipe. I add about 1/4 tsp ginger and it does add an additional depth of flavor.

The Bourbon or Cognac don't add an alcohol flavor. They just compliment the vanilla and other ingredients.

I did adjust SW's new recipe by using only 1/3 to 1/4 c milk and it was better, but still not my favorite.

I am very interested in what you have said here. I noticed that pure clear vanilla doesn't add much flavour to any of my vanilla cake recipes. Why is that happening? All other pure extracts like almond and lemon come out strong in the cakes and make them taste great! Should I forget using pure vanilla extracts? I only have access to vanilla beans here but not all the other fancy names that you called. I guess I need to learn how to make homemade vanilla extracts.

Clear vanilla is not made from vanilla, which is why the taste isn't the same. It is used as a "sort of" vanilla flavoring that will not turn a white icing (or cake) off white or beige, like real vanilla will. Personally, I'd rather use real vanilla and live with the off-white color.

I have never made vanilla at home, but it is evidently very good and very inexpensive as compared with buying good-quality vanilla extract.

Good homemade extract made correctly is just as expensive as name brands. If you make it with poor quality or even average quality vodka and beans, or the wrong ratios, your results wil be no better than the cheap ones. With cheap vodka, you have spent all of that time and money to make cheap vanilla. A brand like Nielson Massey would be better than this kind of homemade vanilla. Some will say vanilla with cheap vodkas are good, but maybe only better than poor vanillas.

The clear vanilla and store brands including McCormick's are why I posted. If it's chocolate cake, or any besides white and yellow, the vanilla is a just an ingredient, but in those two cakes and any light cake, the vanilla is prominent. If the vanilla is just ok, even the best recipe will only be ok or average.

My best advice would be to invest in Nielson Massey vanilla or spend a little more for the premium NM vanilla bean paste. It will be the single most quality influence on the final product. You will notice the difference. I also tend to be a little heavy handed with fine vanillas, especially the paste because it does not have the bitter tones of extract with more alcohol. It also doesn't evaporate like extract, so add that into your decision to add more.

I would guess that I use 1 tbsp of vbp plus homemade extract in my milder cakes. I also add one to 3 tbsp of Hennessy to my yellow, holding back a little on the vanillas. The Hennessy is actually lower proof than vanilla extract, so a tiny bit in the batter of even kids' cakes will be less alcohol than the original recipe with vanilla. Two tbps will only be detected if you tell, and three will have a bolder taste, similar to those cakes made with fine bourbons. Still nowhere near as strong as alcohol cakes, just a hint and another depth of flavor. The ginger compliments both. I know you can get minis in Makers and Knob Creek, but Hennessy may be only available in pints, about$13.00, but it will last a long time.

I would guess that I use 1 tbsp of vbp plus homemade extract in my milder cakes. I also add one to 3 tbsp of Hennessy to my yellow, holding back a little on the vanillas. The Hennessy is actually lower proof than vanilla extract, so a tiny bit in the batter of even kids' cakes will be less alcohol than the original recipe with vanilla. Two tbps will only be detected if you tell, and three will have a bolder taste, similar to those cakes made with fine bourbons. Still nowhere near as strong as alcohol cakes, just a hint and another depth of flavor. The ginger compliments both. I know you can get minis in Makers and Knob Creek, but Hennessy may be only available in pints, about$13.00, but it will last a long time.

You've piqued my curiosity with this scp1127, adding cognac or bourbon to yellow cake. Which of the two do you prefer?

EDIT: to answer the OP. I've found Sylvia's original yellow cake to be very a finicky recipe and not worth the trouble. So I often tell folks trying it for the first (few) time(s) don't get frustrated with yourself, the recipe has issues. Some people have been able to make it work for them. Me? Not so much. It always baked flat-ish for me. I loved the flavor but most of the other properties of the cake left a lot to be desired.

Not that I am as seasoned as most on here but my few attempts to try SW both classic and new were not good. I never could get it to cook right no matter what I tried.

I'm still experimenting but so far my audience (family and coworkers) has preferred Beyond Buttercream's posted cake and CakeLove (just made that one for a coworkers birthday today) over my various SW attempts. The cakelove sank in the middle but going to try it again.

pbunder, make sure your butter is not too soft. I have never had it sink, in fact it's one of the sturdier cakes I make. Check your oven temp with a thermometer. I also use heating nails and baking strips on every cake, every size.

I keep waiting for a customer to order a white cake just to try FromScratch's. She's such a knowledgeable baker, I don't even worry about a trial run. I'm sure it's good.

I just have found so many cakes with a better crumb and structure than SW's. I even experimented with a combo of the old and new recipes and my own adjustments, and still I wasn't impressed. For flavor, any good cake can be made with good flavor.

The WB, Cake Love recipe can be adjusted, adapted, changed in flavor, candy and cookies added to the cupcakes, even Absinthe was good on this cake. I love the versatility.